Blake's Lotaburger

History

Blake's Lotaburger was founded by Blake Chanslor, who moved from Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico after World War II. Chanslor opened his first "Lota Burger" stand on July 9, 1952. His initial investment in the business was $5,300, and his stand was 230 square feet (21 m²), on the corner of San Mateo and Southern, in southeast Albuquerque. In 1953, he opened two more stores.

Chanslor expanded Lotaburger to 23 cities in New Mexico, with 35 stores in Albuquerque. Chanslor remained the owner until 2003, when he sold his interest to the father-son team of Ronald C. and Brian Rule. The restaurants are known as Blake’s Lotaburger. As of 2017, the company owned and operated 74 stores.

In the 1990s, the company featured television commercial personality Ernest P. Worrell, played by Jim Varney, in many of its television ads.

According to the Albuquerque Journal in 1994, Lotaburger helped popularize the use of green chiles as a condiment on hamburgers. In 2006, the company was recognized by National Geographic for the “Best Green Chile Cheeseburger in the World". In 2009, the New Mexico Tourism Department listed the restaurants as one of the state's destinations on the Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail.

In June 2013, the company announced it would open its first Texas location would open that fall on El Paso's west side. A second El Paso location opened in June 2014 on the city's east sid. The company announced plans in early 2015 to expand to Tucson, Arizona.

Menu

Blake's signature menu item is the Lotaburger, which is commonly ordered with cheese and green chile added. Other offerings include the smaller Itsaburger, as well as hot dogs, corn dogs, cheese dogs, chili dogs, chili cheese dogs, chili bowls, and chili Frito pies. Sandwiches include breaded chicken, turkey breast, barbecue beef, and Halibut fish. Also offered are chicken tenders with barbecue sauce or ranch dressing, fries, seasoned fries, chili cheese fries, onion rings, and milkshakes. Brownies were recently added.

Some Lotaburger stores also have a breakfast menu which includes breakfast sandwiches and several types of breakfast burritos. Fresh eggs are used in the breakfast sandwiches and burritos and the customer can choose between Blake’s special red or green chile sauce.

Blake’s also caters onsite with offerings from the regular and breakfast menu, including fruit platters, scrambled eggs, French toast, and pancakes. The food is typically prepared on site, but breakfast burritos can be pre-made upon request.

The green chile, a defining ingredient in New Mexican cuisine, can be ordered as an addition to any menu item. A special green and red sauce made from New Mexico green chiles can be added to the breakfast burritos.

Store appearance

Blake's stores feature a red and white color scheme and older stores often have an outdoor seating area with red and white striped umbrellas. A few of the earliest Lotaburger stores were walk-up stands with outdoor tables only, but the majority have an inside seating area. Most newer stores also have a drive-through. The traditional signage out front is the "Blake's Man", a 10-to-15-foot-tall (3.0 to 4.6 m) man with blue poles for legs, a white and red striped jacket, and a blue hat and bowtie. He holds a sign bearing the Blake's name.

Community relations

Blake's Lotaburger is a long-time supporter of the Special Olympics in New Mexico.

In 2008, Blake's President Brian Rule donated $10,000 to support California Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California. In response, some gay marriage activists have boycotted the restaurant.

Awards